A fellow S African is currently trying to 'swop' his SA car license in Phuket; he's been twice now - once to submit all the required documents and complete the reaction test, and a second time to watch interminable videos and do an E Test. It looks like they want him to do the whole Monty, including a physical driving test. Is this correct procedure? I would've thought an existing license from a recognized country would merely involve a bit of paperwork, not a complete test.  Comments from anyone who's been through this, please?

all I did was show my aussie license(car, bike, heavy truck) and the car and bike were done straight away, the man in charge of the truck section wanted a backhander to get the truck licence so I told him where to stick it, always one. I did the reaction test etc(no movie) and was given my licence, took all of a couple of hours and was out before lunch time. This was at Surat Thani though but is usually the same in most places, maybe the one he spoke to is like the person running the truck section here

Whats a Truck Section. ? You cant get a HGV here as a Ferang,nor do Thais in the Office even offer to get a ferang one even if they got a Current Class 1.

Well it would help if you stated what licence you have what country if the same as your friend it may have needed a IDP with it some western type DL's need one.

depends where you are and who you are dealing with. plenty of stories here on tv, some guys just walk in and pay and finish and others, like me, having to do the whole thing over 3 days. this is thailand. no fixed procedures, no fixed rules and lots and lots of 'public servants' without a clue how to deal with things.